San Jose State University

Julia Curry Rodríguez

“There are so many students who are economically disadvantaged or are of color who go to college and feel like imposters. They should never feel like that.”

A dedicated advocate of undocumented students at San Jose State and across California, Curry works with AB 540 students and their families, helping them bridge language and cultural barriers and navigate the college admissions process. “It is my responsibility to fill my students with the knowledge that they can do anything that they want,” she says. “Everything these students hear in the media about people like them is that they don’t know how to succeed. I totally disagree with that. I hold up a mirror and say, ‘Look at yourself and be proud.’”